[arin-ppml] Policy Proposal 2008-6: Emergency TransferPolicyfor IPv4 Addresses - Last Call

[Milton L Mueller]

> How are transfers going to affect

(drum roll...)

>registration data quality,

Seems it would improve it by requiring transfering parties to go through ARIN and secure their title via accurate registrations

> the risk of (intentional and/or
> unintentional) address collisions

ditto the above

> the continuing viability of cross-
> jurisdictional IP networks/services,

has anyone on this list noticed that RIPE-NCC has passed its transfer policy? shouldn't this be changing the complexion of the debate somewhat, or do we all assume here than only the US matters?

> the future likelihood of IPv6
> adoption

Most likely, _if_ v6 migration goes slower and a transfer market drives up the price of v4 blocks it will increase the incentive to move to v6. A lot of "ifs"

> or any other TCP/IP-related development?

a bit of a vague question, no?

> When the amateurs leave the field, are the professionals
> going to take over, or will "policy" simply wither away
> altogether, as earlier utopians have repeatedly predicted?

Policy will never go away, and the creation of markets heightens the need for making (good) policy decisions. As for the "amateur" charge, I would say as someone with 25 years of (often professional) experience in policy, law and regulation of communications that I would not be so dismissive of the Internet technical community's perspicacity. One often finds a shocking historical and institutional ignorance in this community, some bizarre ideological prejudices (as one finds in any community), coupled with a keen sense of the implications of policy decisions on the technical infrastructure in the here and now. It's a decidedly mixed bag, and it's best to maintain civil dialogue that fosters mutual learning.

Milton Mueller
Professor, Syracuse University School of Information Studies
XS4All Professor, Delft University of Technology
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